My parents raised me to be active and to be conscientious of what we were eating. I have always continued on that journey, each year getting a little closer to my goal of eating a 95% raw diet and maintaining a fully functional and healthy body.

Which classes do you teach?

I can teach just about any class with the exception of yoga. My brain is just not there yet. My latest favorite creation is my Drumming class called Smash the Floor! Super fun, lots of cardio, lower body and core!

How would you describe your training style?

Commanding. If you lead, teach, motivate, inspire, and educate you have GOOD qualities to be a trainer or instructor. However, if you display positive self-esteem, focus, and discipline, you can be a GREAT trainer/instructor. Commanding is a sure-fire way to help people believe. Commanding helps project the idea of being in control of yourself and your body and your life. I believe in leading by example.

Top three favorite exercises and why?

TRX Golf Swings, TRX Burpees, TRX Stretches. TRX suspension training is a great bodyweight facilitated piece of equipment that can help torch calories & fat, is gentle on the body’s joints, helps polish body alignment and technique, can be used for very challenging workouts, can be used for rehabilitation purposes, improves flexibility, and you are also exercising your CORE in every single exercise. Yes I am an advocate for TRX and that answer could possibly sound like a staple sales pitch… however, there is a reason. I personally use the TRX for my own workouts. My body injuries, dance/sports/fitness, and years of teaching too many intense cardio formats, have created severe arthritis in my knees. On good AND bad knee days I know I can still get a solid workout on the TRX w/o jumping, pounding, lifting heavy, and no lateral movement or lunges. My body ALWAYS feels great at the end of a TRX session.

No. My motto in regards to food and beverage is Fresh is Best. I have never deviated. It seems to be working out pretty well for me. You can consume all the nutrients and minerals your body needs through fresh foods.

What is the best piece of advice you were ever given about health and fitness?

Don’t measure pounds, look in the mirror naked and if you like what you see, you’re doing ok.

What are your favorite exercises for developing a 6-pack?

Lifting my fork of green leafy spring mix into my mouth.

Where does your inspiration come from?

Short answer….people.

What is your favorite form of cardio?

Hiit Training. Nice short bursts of any exercise will do.

What was your funniest moment at the gym?

Farting. Can’t help it, gas makes me laugh. If you eat beans, you are gonna fart.

What is your favorite part of teaching fitness classes and/or personal training?

Networking and connecting with people. Learning the story behind every face so I can take in all that is around me and figure out how to best contribute to happiness, health, and freedom for all of us while I am alive.

My approach is centered on a holistic philosophy and is geared towards expanding the client’s appreciation of the necessary attentiveness to mind and body issues. I emphasize positive self-talk, believing that the body goes where the mind leads.

"Our lives begin to begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter". MLK Jr.

What is the best piece of advice you were ever given about health and fitness?

Find activities that you enjoy and just keep doing them. Fitness is not one size fits all. What works for one person may not work for another.

What are your favorite exercises for developing abs?

Planks, planks, and more planks

What are your favorite exercises for developing a nice butt?

Deadlifts, Prone Pilates Froggies, Side Lunges

Where does your inspiration come from?

My grandparents

What is your favorite form of cardio?

Biking around the city as a form of transportation and to relieve stress. Much better than crowding into the packed CTA.

What is your favorite part of teaching fitness classes and/or personal training?

Working with people and helping others to appreciate their bodies for what they CAN do is the best part of my job. Nothing makes me happier than seeing someone go from only being able to do a handful of bent-knee push-ups to 20 straight leg push-ups. Also, it's great to show people that **gasp** exercise can be fun and its okay to laugh while doing it.

I currently teach Wednesday evenings in Edgewater. 5:30 Cardio Barre and 6:30 Tabata.

How did you get started in health and fitness?

I am an actor, and while on tour with a musical I would do fitness videos in my hotel room/take classes when available/ write work outs for myself in order to stay in shape on the road. After tour I had developed this deep love for fitness and wanted to find a "day job" that was something I could be passionate about. I then found myself teaching group fitness and never looked back!

How would you describe your training style?

I am extremely high energy and encouraging. But I think my style is definitely to find humor and fun in sweating. If I can make my clients laugh while wanting to cry from pain, I've done my job. ;)

Top three favorite exercises and why?

I'm obsessed atomic pushups on the TRX, because there is nothing more difficult. I love sprint/run intervals during my runs. They keep me from getting bored and improve my speed. But most of all, I LOVE the way my legs shake during thighs in a barre class. It seems so simple and the movements are so small, but there is no better leg workout.

What food would we find in your fridge?

Always a jar of pickles (I get a salty treat without the junk), a drawer full of leafy greens for my smoothies, almond butter (good on EVERYTHING), and every egg in Chicago. I am literally addicted to eggs. Sometimes I think I might turn into one...

Do you use supplements? If so, which ones? Why?

I use Arbonne protein powder as a meal replacement and a recovery drink after a work out. It is vegan protein (milk products and soy are considered to be very difficult for the body to process and not the healthiest) and is made from cranberry and pea proteins which are the most efficient for the body to use. It is a great way to get the nutrients my body needs and to help achieve those fitness goals. I also feel like it's a milk shake because its so delicious, so I pretend I'm cheating a little!

Any classic healthy meals that you eat?

I like to change it up. But if I'm craving pasta on a random night, I like to make brown rice pasta with veggies and a pesto sauce made from my home grown basil, grapeseed oil and cashews. I mean... it's just sinful.

Give your best 3 health tips that people can do right now:

1. Start today on living a healthy life.

2. If you fail, start again immediately. No one is perfect. But believe that you deserve to be your healthiest/ best version of yourself and set a goal to achieve that.

3. Have a friend that will be your healthy buddy. I have a friend that I can call when I feel chubby, when I've eaten something awful and need a boost, when I need to set a goal, etc and she is always on the other line encouraging me. We set goals together. It keeps me on track and sane! I'm not alone in this!

What are your best tips for losing the last few pounds?

Never think of them as your last few pounds. Be proud of how far you've come, set a goal, achieve that goal, then set another. If there are a couple pounds that want to hang around, set a goal that has nothing to do with weight but rather your eating habits/ a race you want to finish/ a fitness class you want to conquer, and forget that mean scale.

Do you have a fitness role model? If yes, who are they and why do you look up to them?

My mama. She taught aerobics while pregnant with all 3 of us kids, she has run several half marathons, she tries new workouts all the time, she just does it all. To this day if I ask her to take a class with me she says, "I can't wait to try it." If I write us a workout and tell her what we're doing that day she says, "You're gonna kick my butt, but let's do it." She is an absolute stud. I hope that I am as excited about life and as fit as she is in 35 years. She's my idol.

What is your favorite inspirational quote?

"Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels." Sometimes it reminds me why I make the sacrifices I do, and it encourages me to stay on track.

What is the best piece of advice you were ever given about health and fitness?

Don't think of it as a diet, think of it as a life style. There is no expiration date.

What are your favorite exercises for developing abs?

Planks! The absolute best.

What are your favorite exercises for developing a nice butt?

Honestly, barre. I see a difference when I take and teach a lot of barre. My legs are more slim and my booty is perkier. Gotta love that!

Where does your inspiration come from?

Everywhere. Other classes, daily tasks, friends, online

What is your favorite form of cardio?

Circuit training. Burpees, mountain climbers, froggers... all the stuff that hurts the worst. I LOVE doing cardio circuits. It's the easiest way to set a goal (number of reps, etc) and feel achieved when you do. It also kicks your butt.

What was your funniest moment at the gym?

I think I'm hilarious during my classes, though the clients may not agree. I guess it's hard to laugh at me when you're cursing the day I was born...

What is your favorite part of teaching fitness classes and/or personal training?

Connecting with people and knowing that I might be changing their lives. It's an amazing feeling.

How do you handle setbacks in your own fitness journey?

I just keep on pushing. I start over constantly. And I ALWAYS have a new goal in mind.

If you could be the best at one sport/fitness activity, what would it be?

Aerial acrobatics. I've never done it. But I've seen it on Cirque du Soleil and man that looks cool!

What is your favorite song to workout to right now?

It's slow and very random, but "Pretty Hurts". Beyonce literally gives me life during a workout, and the song is just so powerful. I'm obsessed.

Cycle at EFC on Tuesdays and Bootcamp Express at RFC on WednesdaysHow did you get started in health and fitness?

I was always an active kid. I ran track in middle and high school as well as lifted weights. As an adult I fell in love with the sport of Triathlon. I love exercise and I wanted to share it's benefits with others so I became a trainer.How would you describe your training style?

I'm a trainer who listens and delivers. I take feedback from clients as well as my own observations and develop a plan specific for the individual keeping their goals in mind.Top three favorite exercises and why?Cycling - I like to go fast and it's a great endurance sportRope Climbing - It's challenging and rewardingTRX/Suspension Training - It increases challenge by adding instability and working your coreWhat food would we find in your fridge?Fresh greens and vegetablesFresh FruitYogurtLean meats like Chicken and TurkeyFishAny classic healthy meals that you eat?

SaladsGive your best 3 health tips that people can do right now:

Drink lots of waterTake the stairs instead of the elevator or escalatorBe sure to get ample rest between workoutsWhat are your best tips for losing the last few pounds?

Eat 5 or 6 smaller meals rather than 3 large meals each day.Do you have a fitness role model? If yes, who are they and why do you look up to them?Craig Alexander - 3 Time Iron Man World Championship winnerWhat is your favorite inspirational quote?"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

What is the best piece of advice you were ever given about health and fitness?

Adequate rest is equally as important as getting regular exerciseWhat are your favorite exercises for developing abs?I love doing abs on TRXWhat are your favorite exercises for developing a nice butt?

Glute BridgesKettle Ball Swings

What is your favorite form of cardio?

Running, Biking and swimming... Hey, I'm a triathlete...

If you could be the best at one sport/fitness activity, what would it be?

Triathlon, particularly Iron ManWhat is your favorite song to workout to right now?

Looking for new music to workout to? Below is a collection of our trainers' favorite workout songs. The music is as diverse as our trainers but sure to keep you pumped and motivated during your next workout.

Trainer

LindseyJoey NikkiKaty CarlosLucy CeceliaLamontBrittanyTami

Song Name

Summer by Calvin HarrisGet Lucky by Daft PunkEmpire by ShakiraTurn Down For WhatBlack Skinhead by Kanye West Breezeblocks by Alt-JExotic by PitbullWho am I by Pusha TBirthday (Cash Cash Remix) by Katy PerryOutta Ur Mind by Lil Jon

tru.sculpt™, which is a blend of power vinyasa flow and yoga sculpt. I also personal train clients at EFC. How did you get started in health and fitness?

I've always been an avid lover of all things health and wellness - from nutrition to movement to mindset; but it was when I hit 30 that I really turned up my awareness of my entire lifestyle, which required me to tune in to me - and once I mastered me, it then became my mission to share this gift with everyone around me.

How would you describe your training style?

I'll let one of my clients answer this, as she said it best in a testimonial: "Megan is the spiritual Jillian Michaels - She challenges you through her no-nonsense style of real, energetic, and kick ass yoga - it's evident that she is genuinely interested in making you and the world a better place by sharing her love of fitness, health, wellness and mindfulness."

Top three favorite exercises and why?

power yoga (hot yoga, preferably), Nike Training Club workout, and strength training. :) As a Nike Trainer and Nike Yoga Ambassador, I suppose my answer is a bit biased; however, I've tried, researched and creatively designed almost everything in the fitness space -and it's the balance of all three of these disciplines that I have found produce the most sustainable and scalable results.

Eat 5-7 times a day (tiny meals, of course), hold yourself accountable by writing down what you eat and drink daily, and DRINK AT LEAST 75% OF YOUR BODY WEIGHT IN WATER - e.g. if you weigh 120lbs, you should be drinking at least 90 ounces of H2O. :)

What are your best tips for losing the last few pounds?

POWER YOGA/YOGA SCULPT - get those unwanted toxins out of your body, improve your digestion and your metabolism through the twisting poses and holds of poses in yoga, while strengthening, lengthening and toning your entire body. Until the toxins are released, your hanging on to the exact fats and layers you're looking to let go of.

What is your favorite part of teaching fitness classes and/or personal training?

I motivate and inspire you to go deeper inside of yourself to physically change their body, as well as shift your mindset into a more powerful & confident you. There's no greater feeling than the feeling you've inspired someone to live her strongest and most fulfilled life - from head to toe, heart to soul, inside and out.

I took my first cycling class about 7 years ago while was living in LA. I walked into class by myself, not knowing what to expect. I walked out completely drenched in sweat and from that moment I was hooked. I wanted to not only take the class but teach as well.

How would you describe your training style?

Motivating and intense

Top three favorite exercises and why?

Cycling, running, kettlebell workouts

What food would we find in your fridge?

Plain Greek yogurt, coconut water, cheese, and about three different types of hummus

What are your favorite exercises for developing abs?

Plank!

What are your favorite exercises for developing a nice butt?

Squats with kettlebell What is your favorite form of cardio?

Cycle!!

What is your favorite part of teaching fitness classes and/or personal training?

I love watching people push their limits and walk out of my class feeling like a bad a$$!

Which classes do you teach?I teach the Core class on Tuesday at 6pm at RFC

How did you get started in health and fitness?

I got started in fitness by teaching dance based aerobics classes over 20 years ago.

How would you describe your training style?

I like workouts to be challenging and fun! If you don't enjoy what you're doing you won't want to come back.

Top three favorite exercises and why?

Squats and lunges for lower body: Because you are using your full bodyweight and it is functional!

Rows and upper back work for upper body: We do way too much work for the chest. Working the back helps with posture!

Planks and slow controlled work on the ball for core: The ball helps stabilize the lower body so that you can really isolate abdominal muscles, planks force you to work the entire body.

What are your best tips for losing the last few pounds?

Interval training! Get your heartrate out of it's "comfort zone". Try an activity or class you don't normally do.

What is your favorite inspirational quote?

This is merely uncomfortable for a brief period of time.

What is your favorite form of cardio?

Personally I like dance based cardio, or interval training. I just think it's more fun! I like my brain to have to work too!

What was your funniest moment at the gym?

A room full of people in plank position everyone just breathing, from the back of the room some guy drops the F-bomb. Five seconds later the whole room is cracking up. "You know that was out loud, right?" "He just said what we were all thinking!"

What is your favorite part of teaching fitness classes and/or personal training?

Watching people's confidence improve with their fitness! You also get to meet all sorts of different kinds of people. It's great!

How do you handle setbacks in your own fitness journey?

Sometimes I think you have to take a step back and reassess what you've been doing. Try to stay balanced so you don't get injured.

If you could be the best at one sport/fitness activity, what would it be?

I've been doing the flying trapeze for about a year, I would love to get better at it. There are such endless possibilities with it, you can always get better or do something new